Method and apparatus for storing and activating universal resource locators and phone numbers

Abstract

A method and apparatus for enabling subscribers to store telephone numbers and/or URLs embedded in streaming video contents associated with a video session being shown on video display devices into address books hosted in the network. Subscribers can then access these phone numbers to place phone calls using information stored in the network address books by activating a voice session. Similarly, subscribers can also access URLs to browse websites using URLs stored in the network address books by activation a web session.

1. A method for storing a Universal Resource Locator (URL) or a phone number obtained from a video content in a communication network, comprising:
 presenting said video content to a subscriber, where said video content carries at least one of: an embedded phone number or a URL address; 
 receiving a request from said subscriber to store at least one of said Universal Resource Locator (URL) or said phone number selected from said video content; and 
 storing said at least one of said Universal Resource Locator (URL) or said phone number in said communication network. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said communication network is a Service over Internet Protocol (SoIP) network. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said storing comprises:
 establishing a network address book application session to said subscriber; and 
 storing said at least one of said Universal Resource Locator (URL) or said phone number in a network based address book. 
 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein said network address book application session is established by a Session Controller by forwarding said request received from said subscriber to an Address Book Application Server, where said network address book application session is established between said Address Book Application Server and said subscriber. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 3 , wherein said at least one of said Universal Resource Locator (URL) or said phone number is selected by using a pointer device by said subscriber. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 activating said at least one of said Universal Resource Locator (URL) or said phone number by said subscriber. 
 
   
   
     7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein said activating comprises:
 establishing a network address book application session to said subscriber; and 
 activating said at least one of said Universal Resource Locator (URL) or said phone number selected by said subscriber. 
 
   
   
     8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one of said Universal Resource Locator (URL) or said phone number is activated by:
 establishing a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) session to said phone number if said phone number is activated; or 
 establishing a web session to said URL if said URL is activated. 
 
   
   
     9. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions, the plurality of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of a method for storing a Universal Resource Locator (URL) or a phone number obtained from a video content in a communication network, comprising:
 presenting said video content to a subscriber, where said video content carries at least one of: an embedded phone number or a URL address; 
 receiving a request from said subscriber to store at least one of said Universal Resource Locator (URL) or said phone number selected from said video content; and 
 storing said at least one of said Universal Resource Locator (URL) or said phone number in said communication network. 
 
   
   
     10. The computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein said communication network is a Service over Internet Protocol (SoIP) network. 
   
   
     11. The computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , wherein said storing comprises:
 establishing a network address book application session to said subscriber; and 
 storing said at least one of said Universal Resource Locator (URL) or said phone number in a network based address book. 
 
   
   
     12. The computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein said network address book application session is established by a Session Controller by forwarding said request received from said subscriber to an Address Book Application Server, where said network address book application session is established between said Address Book Application Server and said subscriber. 
   
   
     13. The computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one of said Universal Resource Locator (URL) or said phone number is selected by using a pointer device by said subscriber. 
   
   
     14. The computer-readable medium of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 activating said at least one of said Universal Resource Locator (URL) or said phone number by said subscriber. 
 
   
   
     15. The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein said activating comprises:
 establishing a network address book application session to said subscriber; and 
 activating said at least one of said Universal Resource Locator (URL) or said phone number selected by said subscriber. 
 
   
   
     16. The computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein said at least one of said Universal Resource Locator (URL) or said phone number is activated by:
 establishing a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) session to said phone number if said phone number is activated; or 
 establishing a web session to said URL if said URL is activated. 
 
   
   
     17. An apparatus for storing a Universal Resource Locator (URL) or a phone number obtained from a video content in a communication network, comprising:
 means for presenting said video content to a subscriber, where said video content carries at least one of: an embedded phone number or a URL address; 
 means for receiving a request from said subscriber to store at least one of said Universal Resource Locator (URL) or said phone number selected from said video content; and 
 means for storing said at least one of said Universal Resource Locator (URL) or said phone number in said communication network. 
 
   
   
     18. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said communication network is a Service over Internet Protocol (SoIP) network. 
   
   
     19. The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said storing means comprises:
 means for establishing a network address book application session to said subscriber; and 
 means for storing said at least one of said Universal Resource Locator (URL) or said phone number in a network based address book. 
 
   
   
     20. The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein said network address book application session is established by a Session Controller by forwarding said request received from said subscriber to an Address Book Application Server, where said network address book application session is established between said Address Book Application Server and said subscriber.